Any Yellowstone Enthusiasts? About This Page:

[DebiDebiDebi]

We traveled there in 1993 and have talked about going back for more extensive stay. Anyone have experience with this? Where did you stay; did you camp or hotel it? Any good stories about hiking, or any bear sightings? We saw a sleeping bear, and that was pretty cool! Thanks everyone!

[Bert & Sully]

Hey did you see Yogi and BooBoo while you were there?!

[DebiDebiDebi]

Funny you should ask...there is a Yogi Bear Camp Grounds near there! Actually we did see something unusual...these folks were traveling in a travel trailer that was fixed up to resemble a huge grey boulder...ala Fred Flintstone! The girls loved that!

[Shell_of_the_South]

Debi, we went in 1999. We drove from Ga to Colorado, Wyoming, S. Dakota, and back in 2 weeks! We stayed in Cody and drove to Yellowstone 2 days - big mistake. It ended up being a 4 hour drive because there was major road construction going on. We didn't see nearly as much as we wanted. We of course saw Old Faithful, we walked down to a couple of waterfalls, and mainly just drove around the place. We did see a mother moose and her baby, and one day there was a huge buffalo just sitting ride on the side of the road. There is a very cute little town right at the north or northeast entrance, it's called Cook City, Montana. A lot of people charter hunting guides in this town and they also rent snowmobiles in the winter. There were several neat shops there and a couple of mom and pop motels/B&Bs. Next time we go we will either stay in the lodge or stay at Cook City.

[Travelin' Mom]

Oh, are you in for a treat...this is God's country! I now live in Minnesota, but grew up in Billings Montana, very close to Yellowstone. I've stayed in plenty of hotels & 2 years ago our family of 4(2kids then 6 & 8) camped for 12 days. In tents for all but 3 nights because I told my DH it could get cold or even snow & he laughed (it was August) but it did on one of the nites we had a cabin was he ever happy with me! I've never stayed in a park lodge there (I have in Glacier Park in Northwestern Montana, which I actually prefer much to Yellowstone for the scenery & animal sightings - lots of bear, black & grizzly) the park lodges are very neat, but pricey and make sure to have your reservations about 6 months to a year in advance. Some other great places to stay bordering the park are as someone else said Cooke City, MT (that's where it snowed in Aug!) it's a very quaint, small MT town - not much to do however & farther from the main part of the park then the other entrances, but you have to at least go in or out this way & go over the "Beartooth or Cooke City Highway" - it's one of the most scenic drives in America, incredible! On the other side is a great town called Red Lodge, MT - lots of neat shops, fishing (skiing in the winter). They have all kinds of motels & a beautiful KOA campground by a stream. Another great place to stay is West Yellowstone, MT it is on the West Entrance and the largest town of all the entrance towns - it has all the chain hotels along with the mop & pops, great shopping & places to eat & lots to do with kids - an IMAX theatre, WOLF/BEAR discovery center, Summer stage theatre, movies theatres...it's really gotten quite touristy. There is also a nice KOA campground there with nice pool & camping cabins.This west entrance area is where there is usually lots of buffalo, in fact we were totally surrounded by a running herd of buffalo once when driving this road & another time came to a buffalo traffic jam. Another place we've camped is in Gardiner,MT it's at the North entrance, which was the original entrance & close to mammoth hot springs where you'll see tons of elk just feet away on the lawns.Gardiner has lots of motels/eating too. They have a great place to go whitewater rafting, something you have to try if you've never done it. It's rather mild here so great for kids or first timers. If you travel farther north from here into what Montanan's refer to as "Paradise Valley" you'll reach Pray/Emmigrant, just a blurp in the road - I think a bar & gas station, but up towards Emmigrant Peak is nestled a real gem "Chico Hot Springs" a great place to sample authentic western hospitality. There is a motel/restaurant & if you just want to relax natural hot springs to swim in even if you don't stay there. It's nothing fancy but fun...they've got horses/hayrides, etc.

I'm not sure where you're coming from but another place you don't want to miss is Teton National Park...beautiful & Jackson Hole, WY is also a great place to stay, but real "touristy" & pricey too!

As far as wildlife, as I mentioned you'll see lots of buffalo & elk, deer, eagles. Moose & Bear are harder to come by...we've always seen at least one of the later, but they're not like they used to be when I was growing up. As I said we were in Glacier & Waterton(Canada) last summer & saw dozens of bear, even on the trail we were hiking! This area is quite a bit more remote & we were off the beaten path a lot more. Maybe if you get into the backcountry more in Yellowstone you'll encounter more wildlife. Good Luck & have a wonderful trip, it makes me homesick...let me know if you need anymore help!

[AKLRULZ]

Michelle and Travelin' Mom, thanks for the great mini reports! This has always been a place I've wanted to visit, too.

[DebiDebiDebi]

Great information! I do want to try Galcier too, Travelin Mom, we hear it is spectacular! And it indeed does get cold all year round in Yellowstone, we were there in August, and BRRRRRRRRRRRR it was C-O-L-D!!!
Thanks for the tip on Cook City Michelle, I will have to check out the map!

[HokieCassie]

I LOVE Yellowstone! I just love it! My family has been there so many times! We especially like staying at the Old Faithful Inn and watching it go off late at night. It's beautiful!

We did see a bear attacking a deer in the early morning (around 6am) about 40 minutes from the Old Faithful Inn. It has been a few years since we've been there. (I'm 19, we were last there when I was 15)..with a total of about 6 trips.

[img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img] That place is so great

[Elliot'sDragon]

My first time driving thru Yellowstone was in July of 1990. I was driving cross country from AZ. back to NYC. I only had shorts. Crossing the mountains i drove thru a blizzard. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground and more falling quickly. I stayed in Jackson Hole that night and had to buy socks, pants and a sweatshirt.

[Shell_of_the_South]

Travelin Mom, I may be asking you for help when we plan our next trip out west!!! I've printed out your post for future reference, thanks!

[patty c.]

Nothing new to add, just another vote for taking in Red Lodge, MT along with Yellowstone for a fun diversion. I'm not a camper, but prefer the Yellowstone Lodge -- the ORIGINAL Wilderness Lodge!

As far as the other areas that have been mentioned: Jackson Hole is my #2 favorite mountain destination -- the scenery is beautiful. And I'll go along with the other comments on Glacier/Waterton - this is my #1 favorite mountain destination and everyone should go at least once. Absolutely breathtaking! Be sure to visit the Prince of Wales Hotel and get the view from the back of the hotel, even if you're not staying there. (Even though this is a good ways away from Yellowstone).

[infinity&beyond]

It is great to read about everyone's experiences. We went to Yellowstone for our vacation last year. It was a total blast! I felt like I was on safari! Saw a grizzly bear, two brown bears playing together, elks, a moose, more bison than you could shake a stick at, a fox (or wolf...couldn't really tell) and a beaver.

And the geysers were so cool to see. We hiked along all the boardwalks and saw all the major geysers. Also made a visit to the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone" and that was really a fantastic site. So colorful!

We stayed a couple of days at every historic hotel in Yellowstone. Stayed at Old Faithful Inn (my favorite), Yellowstone Lake Hotel (Victorian feeling, pretty neat), and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Then we headed over to the Grand Tetons and stayed for two nights at Jackson Lake Lodge, which has a beautiful view of the Tetons from their Dining Room...we had dinner there one night while watching the sunset on the Tetons, and experience I will never forget!

My only complaint about the trip was that the food in the parks was pretty bland...as a vegetarian there were very few options.

I'd go back in a second!!!!!

[McMouse]

This is such a great thread! Thanks for the information everyone. My husband was actually raised in Red Lodge, MT. I've been begging him to take us there to see where he grew up. I am going to print this and give it to him and say, "That's it. We're going!" We have a pop-up camper and would love to camp at some of the parks in the area. Anyone familiar with any parks that have campsites with hookups?

[Travelin' Mom]

Glad to be of help Debi, you're are sure getting great ideas from everyone...and contact me anytime Michelle. I have to agree with Patty that the Prince of Wales in Waterton Nat'l Park in Canada is magical...we stayed there, but you can always visit without staying and get the same great scenery (even high tea!) however there's something to be said about waking up to that view!

Speaking of park lodging including Yellowstone, I think what are family enjoyed most besides the history, nostalgia & views - were just hanging out around the fires and meeting great people like all of you who like to travel & enjoy making friends from all over the world. My kids made new friends at every park lodge & in the campgrounds too. It's sure more homey than the chain hotels even without the modern amenities.

McMouse, that's so cool your husband is from MT too, when did he live in Red Lodge? I moved the summer of 1984. I spent every winter weekend on the slopes of Red Lodge Mountain. He MUST take you back, you'll be hooked!

[McMouse]

Travelin' mom, sounds like my DH and you lived in MT at similiar times. I want to say it was around '82 when his family moved from Red Lodge...he was a junior in high school. He lived in Billings for a very short time before that too. He has always talked about how beautiful it is in MT. The drive from here in Texas would be sooo long, but we are thinking about doing it next summer with our camper.

Also, we moved down here from Rochester, MN. We lived there for 11 years and loved it. Is Wilmar near the Cities? I've heard of it, but can't place where it is.